


Shannah Tova u Mitukah (A Happy and Sweet New Year)

by steverogerstrash (theyvegotthisspellonme)



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fictober 2019, Fluff, Jewish Bucky Barnes, Judaism, M/M, Meet the Family, Meeting the Parents, Rosh HaShana | Jewish New Year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-09 10:23:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20851895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theyvegotthisspellonme/pseuds/steverogerstrash
Summary: Bucky takes Steve to meet his family





	Shannah Tova u Mitukah (A Happy and Sweet New Year)

**Author's Note:**

> Shannah tova!

If he was being totally honest, Steve wasn’t entirely sure what was going on. But Bucky had asked him to come, because it’s important to him, and there’s nothing Steve wouldn’t do for Bucky. 

To his right, Bucky stands again, head bent, focused on the book he’s holding. Steve had been more than happy to attend Rosh Hashanna services with him, and the anxiety he felt being a new place and the vague sense of not belonging disappeared when Bucky took his hand every time he sat down. As a lapsed Catholic, Steve had no idea what was being said, or even why everyone was gathered, but he was happy to be spending the time with Bucky. A disturbing amount of Avengers missions have kept him away the last few weeks, but things seem to be slowing down now. Enough that Steve doesn’t feel too guilty at leaving things to the others so he can spend time with his boyfriend. 

The service is shorter than Steve thought it would be, and soon enough Bucky is leading him out of the synagogue and onto the street. Steve takes his hand again as they make their way towards the subway. 

“Thanks for coming with me, babe. I really appreciate it.” Bucky nudges Steve with his shoulder as he speaks. 

“Of course. I’m glad we finally have some time to spend together. I missed you.” Steve raises their joined hands to press a kiss to Bucky’s fingers. 

“And you’re sure you want to come to my parents’? It’s gonna be a shit show.”

“Do you think this is a bad time for me to meet them? Because if another time would be better, we can do that.”

“No, no. It’s… most of my family is gonna be there. Parents, sisters, cousins, everyone. I don’t know if it’s fair to just throw you in with the sharks like this.”

“Only if you think it’s a bad idea. Honestly, though, I’ve been looking forward to this. Although I’m not entirely sure what the occasion is.” 

“It’s the new year. In the Jewish calendar.” Bucky clarifies, reading the confusion on Steve’s face. “So we all get together and eat.”

“Sounds good to me.”

\---

Dinner with the Barnes family is eventful without holidays or the introduction of significant others. With those things… Bucky loves his family dearly, but it’s best described as a shitshow. His mom and sister are trying to get things in and out of the oven all while trying to keep kids out of the kitchen and out the way of his dad and other sister, who making last minute adjustments to the setup for dinner. The older kids are making no effort to help, not that they’re old enough to be doing much more than corralling the toddlers. Everyone freezes, though, when Bucky walks in with Steve. 

“Right.” Bucky pauses, unnerved by the sudden attention. “Steve, this is everyone. Everyone, Steve.” Steve, to his credit, smiles and waves, looking unbothered by the way that everyone is blatantly staring at him. 

“Hi. Nice to meet you all.” 

“James, is that you? Can you help your father move the table?” Bucky grins at the sound of his mother’s voice; he’d spoken to her on the phone last week, but there’s something about the way someone yells in person that just doesn’t translate.

“Of course, Ma!” Bucky calls. “C’mon, Stevie. Time to be useful.” He takes Steve’s hand and pulls him away from the door. 

“Hey, rude.” Steve protests, but he’s smiling too hard for Bucky to take him seriously.

The Barnes’ apartment isn’t huge, but it’s enough to accomodate Winnie and George, Bucky, his sister Rebecca and her family, his sister Abigail and her family, and now Steve. 

“Although we might need to get a bigger place in the future, right, James?” Winnie asks as she brings in the table cloth. She hands it to George before turning to face Steve.”

“Winifred. It’s nice to finally meet you, Steve.”

“You too, Mrs. Barnes. I’ve heard so much about you.” 

“I wish I could say the same!” She laughs. “Someone’s been mighty quiet about things.”

“Ma, stop it. It’s hard, with all the-”

“I know, I know. A lot of classified information, I’m sure.” She laughs again. 

“We’re glad to have you here, Steve.” George interjects. “It’s nice to finally meet the person that makes our boy so happy.”

“Dad.” Bucky groans. 

“I can only hope to make him as happy as he makes me.” Steve admits, cheeks pink. 

“Oh, George. Remember when we were like that?” Winnie asks. She doesn’t wait for an answer before turning back to the kitchen. 

The round of cousins is blessedly short, because there’s only five of them, and they’re young enough that they don’t really care who Bucky brings to dinner as long as they don’t have to talk to him. Bucky dreads the day when they’re old enough to stop being shy around anyone who isn’t a parent or sibling. 

“They’re all so cute.” Steve whispers as Abby’s youngest runs back into the kitchen to bother her mother. 

“Please don’t let my mother hear you say that. We’ll never hear the end of it.” Bucky warns. Steve just laughs. 

\--- 

Dinner itself is uneventful. George leads the group through the prayers and blessings and explains each tradition carefully for Steve, who soaks it all in, delighted. The apple and honey, for a sweet new year. The round challah bread, to represent the cycle of years and seasons. The pomegranate, representing the many  _ mitzvot  _ and ways to improve in the new year. A strange fruit, for a new experience and a reason to say the  _ Shehecheyanu.  _

“Ma, what even is this?” Bucky asks, pointing to the hairy looking… thing on the table. 

“It’s a rambutan. We have kiwi every year, and they were selling these at the market. I thought they looked fun.” 

“Yeah, real fun. Especially the stabby parts.” 

“They’re soft, James. Try one, I think you’ll like it.” 

She’s right. Of course she’s right. 

\--- 

Dinner winds down slowly, and Becca’s oldest, Max, leads them in the  _ birkat  _ after the meal, assisted by George, who actually knows all the words. Steve, of course, insists on staying to help clean up, even as Becca and Abby usher their families outside as husbands pull cars around. 

“He’s a keeper, Steve. Not everyone could survive that.” Becca says on her way out. 

“Trust me, I’m not letting him go anywhere.” Bucky promises. 

“Good.” Becca’s grin is sharp. “Because I just might steal him if you do.”

“No. Gross. Go away. You’re  _ married  _ for God’s sake. Ugh. Goodbye.” He hugs her anyway, though, then pushes her towards the car. When he goes back inside, it’s to Steve helping George move the dining room table back to where it belongs, card tables already folded to back into storage. Winifred is directing their every step, but Steve doesn’t look bothered. In fact, he fits perfectly into the scene, not a hair out of place. Bucky grins.  _ Shana tova  _ indeed. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [tumblr](http://ceilingventclintbarton.tumblr.com)


End file.
